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University of Houston Law Center
The University of Houston Law Center is an excellent place to pursue a legal education. The school has a diverse student body and is located in Houston, one of the largest cities in the United States. This gives students access to a large legal market and the world's most significant healthcare and medical complex. Additionally, Houston is recognized as the world's energy capital, making it an excellent place for students interested in pursuing a career in law related to the energy industry.
Contents
Admissions
The University of Houston Law Center is one of the best law schools in the country. It offers excellent value, and its new John M. O'Quinn Law Building is top-of-the-line. The school has also been receiving awards from a preLaw magazine recently. Furthermore, the student body is very diverse, with a high percentage of racial or ethnic minorities. The Law Center also has a high percentage of female tenured or tenure-track faculty members.
Statistics
| Admissions Stats | ||
| Class of: | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 |
| 25th - 50th - 75th percentile LSAT | 157 - 160 - 162 | 159 - 161 - 163 |
| 25th - 50th - 75th percentile GPA | 3.29 - 3.57 - 3.74 | 3.37 - 3.64 - 3.76 |
| Acceptance rate | 33.6% | 30.7% |
| Applications received | 2575 | 3438 |
| Acceptances | 865 | 1055 |
| Matriculants | 352 | 292 |
At the University of Houston, during the 2022 application cycle, out of 3,438 people who applied, 1,055 were offered admission. Out of these admitted students, 242 were accepted and enrolled in the school. This means that the school had a yield of 22.94%. The LSAT median for the class was 161, while the GPA median was 3.64. The 25th percentile LSAT and GPA were 159 and 3.37, respectively, while the 75th percentile LSAT and GPA were 163 and 3.76, respectively.
To be admitted to the bar in any U.S. jurisdiction, there are several qualifications that an applicant must meet. In addition to passing a bar examination, applicants must have good character and fitness and meet other requirements set by the jurisdiction. Applicants need to determine the specific requirements for each jurisdiction before applying. The National Conference of Bar Examiners website has contact information for all relevant agencies.
The regular decision deadline for full-time and part-time evening program admission is March 15th and May 15th, respectively. Applications received after the deadlines will be reviewed at the end of the process.
Application Instructions
The full-time JD program at UH Law Center is designed for students who plan to devote most of their time to the study of law. The part-time evening JD program is designed for students who plan to work during law school. Students in the part-time evening JD program have a variety of upper-division electives to choose from after their first year. UH, Law Center does not offer spring enrollment.
Application Requirements
To complete the application process, you must provide a personal statement, resume, and immigration documents if you are an international student. The $70 application fee is waived for all applicants who apply online. To read more about how to obtain a fee waiver, click here.
Your application file must include a complete CAS report, including your LSAT score or GRE score, transcripts for all colleges and universities attended, and at least two letters of recommendation.
Please note that no application will be reviewed without the CAS report. Your CAS report will only complete once you have a valid LSAT or GRE score, transcripts from all undergraduate institutions, and two letters of recommendation. You may review your CAS report status by accessing your LSAC online account.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The University of Houston Law Center offers J.D. students a locked tuition rate, which means that the tuition rates will remain the same for the duration of their studies at the university. Fees may change, but this does not include optional expenses for parking, health insurance, or international fees.
| Fall 2022 – Spring 2023 Law Center Budget/Cost of Attendance |
||
|---|---|---|
| Subject to Change | ||
| Tentative as of 6/2022 | ||
| Full Time JD - 31 hours | ||
| Expenses | Resident | Non Resident |
| Tuition & Fees | $34,929.86 | $49,747.86 |
| Books | $2,900.00 | $2,900.00 |
| Living Expenses - off campus | $17,958.00 | $17,958.00 |
| Living Expenses - on campus | $16,804.00 | $16,804.00 |
| Living Expenses - with parents | $10,142.00 | $10,142.00 |
| TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE - OFF CAMPUS | $55,787.86 | $70,605.86 |
| TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE - ON CAMPUS | $54,633.86 | $69,451.86 |
| TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE - W/Parents | $47,971.86 | $62,789.86 |
| Part Time JD - 21 hours (fall/spring) | ||
| Expenses | Resident | Non Resident |
| Tuition & Fees | $23,989.26 | $34,027.26 |
| Books | $2,200.00 | $2,200.00 |
| Living Expenses - off campus | $17,958.00 | $17,958.00 |
| Living Expenses - on campus | $16,804.00 | $16,804.00 |
| Living Expenses - with parents | $10,142.00 | $10,142.00 |
| TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE - OFF CAMPUS | $44,147.26 | $54,185.26 |
| TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE - ON CAMPUS | $42,993.26 | $53,031.26 |
| TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE - W/PARENTS | $36,331.26 | $46,369.26 |
| Part Time JD - 6 hours (summer) | ||
| Expenses | Resident | Non Resident |
| Tuition & Fees | $7,071.36 | $9,939.36 |
| Books | $725.00 | $725.00 |
| Living Expenses - off campus | $6,146.00 | $6146.00 |
| Living Expenses - on campus | $3,100 | $3,100 |
| Living Expenses - with parents | $4,548.00 | $4,548.00 |
| TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE - OFF CAMPUS | $13,942.36 | $16,810.36 |
| TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE - ON CAMPUS | $10,896.36 | $13,764.36 |
| TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE - W/PARENTS | $12,344.36 | $15,212.36 |
Cost of Attendance
The Cost of Attendance (COA) is determined by the SFA office each spring. This budget is based on the cost of living in this geographic area and considers many factors such as tuition, room and board, transportation, and other related expenses. To create a successful budget while attending law school, it is essential to be aware of your available resources. Many students are limited to the funds they receive with financial aid and have no savings or personal resources to fall back. This can make your financial situation very difficult. If you are in a difficult situation, reach out to the financial aid advisor for options.
The amount of financial aid a student is eligible to receive is based on their Cost of Attendance (COA), which includes the average cost of tuition and fees for a typical first-year JD student, the average cost of books and supplies for an incoming student, transportation costs to and from class and work, and personal items not included in room and board expenses. Actual costs may vary by individual choices related to location and circumstances.
Interviews
The University of Houston Law Center does not offer interviews or evaluative meetings with members of the Admissions Committee at the request of the applicant and prospective applicant. Applicants who have concerns that they wish to bring to the attention of the Admissions Office should address those concerns in a written addendum to their application. The addendum may be a memo or letter, should be addressed to the Admissions Office, and sent by email to lawadmissions@uh.edu.
Transferring
If you are a student in good standing at another ABA-accredited law school, you may apply to transfer to the UH Law Center. Admission as a transfer student is competitive, and the first consideration is given to applicants who have performed well in the first year of law school. Transfer applicants must have completed the equivalent of the first year of law school and all or most of the Law Center's first-year required courses (Torts, Property, Contracts, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Legal Research, and Legal Writing.) Transfer applicants must have a minimum of 22 semester hours of credit to apply and may transfer a maximum of 30 hours. Transfer credit will not be awarded for any course in which the student has earned lower than a "C." The transfer credits will be noted on your final UH Law Center transcript with hours rather than grades.
When accepted to transfer to UHLC, you must file a FAFSA listing the University of Houston's school code of 003652. The school will download the FAFSA approximately 5-7 business days later. Once your financial aid file at UH is complete, you will be awarded and notified by email. Any financial aid awarded from your original school must be canceled, and that school must report the cancelation to the DOE before the funds disburse at UH. As a transfer student, there could be a minimum of a four-week delay in the financial aid process, so be sure to plan accordingly. For more information on the financial aid process, please visit our website or email Carla Martinez at lawfinaid@uh.edu if you have any questions. To read a fantastic article about transferring, click here.
Scholarships & Financial Aid
The UHLC has a financial aid advisor who explicitly helps law students. This advisor works closely with the central campus financial aid department to ensure that law students' files are complete and accurate. Without the Law Center advisor, students should contact the main campus financial aid office. Financial aid programs can change or be eliminated anytime, so staying up-to-date on the rules and regulations is essential.
Academics & Curriculum
The University of Houston Law Center offers students a variety, of course, options to fulfill their degree requirements. Students can choose from foundational courses, such as Contracts, Property, and Torts, or they can explore elective courses in business and Commercial Law, Family Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Tax Law. Additionally, students can gain practical lawyering experience through clinical programs and academic law journals. The school also offers joint-degree opportunities for students interested in pursuing multiple degrees. The J.D. program at the Law Center requires completion of 90 credit hours, with a GPA of 2.33 or higher in order to graduate.
Faculty
The faculty at the University of Houston Law Center are some of the most distinguished in the country. The 38 tenured and tenure-track faculty are highly knowledgeable and publish in the leading law reviews. Additionally, they have been highly influential with commentators, lawyers, and courts throughout the United States and the world. The Law Center's commitment to teaching excellence is also notable. Numerous faculty members have won the UH Teaching Excellence Award.
Learning Abroad Opportunities
The Law Center offers many opportunities for students to learn abroad. There are three main ways to do this: through our international exchange programs, other law schools' foreign learning programs, or by creating your own independent foreign learning program. These opportunities offer many benefits to students, including gaining new skills and experiences that can help with their careers.
Clinics
Clinical legal programs offer law students an opportunity to get practical experience in the legal field while still in law school. Under the guidance and supervision of clinical faculty, law students can handle all aspects of cases, from interviewing clients to going to court and conducting trials.
The Clinical Legal Education Program strives to provide law students with the skills and training they need to be effective advocates for their clients and offer first-rate pro-bono legal services to those who need it most. The program also aims to help the courts and legislature develop policies that improve the surrounding communities.
Externship Program
The Externship Program allows students to earn academic credit for working with a nonprofit organization, a government agency, or a member of the judiciary. LL.M. students may be eligible for the program on a case-by-case basis. The Externship course applications are available on this website.
Applications for externship credit are due by two weeks before the beginning of the semester. For more information on deadlines and eligibility, please see Guidelines for Academic Credit for Externships.
Quality of Life
Houston is a vibrant city that is home to numerous restaurants, bars, and nightclubs at which students can unwind at night, as well as many museums, parks, and shops that students can browse in the daytime. Students at the school also have plenty of opportunities to socialize with their classmates through social events hosted by the Student Bar Association, including weekly "arbitrations" in which beer kegs are heavily involved. In short, the facilities and location of UH Law Center leave a lot to be desired, but the city of Houston and the student body of the school provide many opportunities for relaxation and socialization and ensure that students are able to make the best of their situation.
Law Library
The University of Houston Libraries provides access to resources like books, journals, and databases for students, faculty, and staff at the University of Houston. They have locations on campus with a variety of resources available for users. Their mission as the University of Houston Libraries is to serve the UH community by enhancing student learning, developing scholarly research and creative output, and promoting the discovery of information and knowledge from diverse and relevant resources. Their vision is to nurture curiosity and creativity and facilitate transformative learning and scholarship to help advance UH’s vision toward increased academic standing and impactful success.
Employment Prospects & Bar Passage
Undoubtedly, employment prospects for students of the University of Houston Law Center are strongest in the state of Texas, and are significantly weaker outside of the state. Up to 90% of a typical UH Law Center graduating class stays within the state of Texas to begin their practice of the law, and many law firms from around the state visit the school's campus each year to interview students. Typically, these interviews are most fruitful for students ranked near the top of their class, and students ranked lower will likely have a tougher job search and must rely more heavily on the school's career services office. Students with hopes of securing employment outside of Texas will also have arduous job searches, and will likely find the school's large alumni network to be an invaluable resource.
The median salary for JD graduates who work in the private sector after graduating from the University of Houston is $92,500. If they work in the private sector, they can expect to make an average of $67,149. A majority (68.8%) of law graduates from the University of Houston go on to work for law firms, while a small percentage (4.7%) clerk for a judge. Only 2.8% of graduates go into public interest. Almost all (86.1%) University of Houston graduates pass the bar on their first try.
Synopsis
Houston is a great place to live and work. The city has a lot to offer, including 19 world-class museums, a thriving performing arts scene, and some of the best food in the country. The University of Houston is also great, with over 40,000 students and 13 different colleges and schools. UH is one of the nation's most ethnically diverse campuses, reflecting Houston's diversity.
Contact Information
University of Houston Law Center
Admissions Office
4170 Martin Luther King Blvd
Houston, TX 77204-6060
Email: lawadmissions@uh.edu
Phone: 713-743-2280
https://www.law.uh.edu/Admissions/
Summary
| Established | 1974 |
| Location | Houston, TX |
| Dean | Leonard M. Baynes |
| 2022 US News Ranking | 58th |
| LSAT Median Score | 161 |
| GPA Median Score | 3.64 |
| Bar Passage Rate | 86% (2022) |
| Employment Rate | 32%% (2022) |
| Cost | $34,929.86 Resident (Full Time) $49,747.86 Non- Resident (Full Time) |
| Average Debt | $102,823 |
| Application Deadline | November 15, 2022 (Early Decision/Full-Time&Part-time program)
March 15, 2023 (Regular Decision/Full-Time&Part-Time Program)" |
Forum and Discussion
University of Houston Law Center Discussions
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Law Student Forums
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Reference
https://www.law.uh.edu/
Rank #58
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The University of Houston Law Center
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